Victim of the Fire
by Feiring
Summary: Odd makes a special red-haired friend in an old, dark, abandoned house. Is it possible for their friendship last forever, even if he wants it?   I can't write summaries to save my life. xD;;    ONESHOT


It was a cold, windy autumn day. The dead leaves were flying away all around the streets, making a crunching noise whenever you stepped on them. Odd Della Robia was walking on the street of France, going back to school from a small trip to the video game merchant to take the game he'd ordered. He'd hoped that Jim wasn't going to notice, because he left without telling anyone.

Shivering under his thin purple vest, he snuggled more into his light purple scarf and looked up to an old house that was standing darkly behind its high metallic fence, towering the other houses. No one knew if someone lived inside that house; lots said it was abandoned. Some said it was haunted. As for his opinion, Odd just thought it probably belonged to a crummy old lady who probably hated children.

Not paying attention to the house as always, he passed in front of it and continued his way toward Kadic...

...Gazing outside the window, emotionless as always, someone looked out at the street to the small boy and followed him until he was out of sigh. Then, the person once again hid in the shadows of the old house...

A few week later, Odd, who had sneaked out of the school grounds once again was coming back with the same road he usually took. He passed in front of the old house like he did so many times before, but noticed something different this time. He was sure he saw something move from the first floor's left window. He looked back, but saw nothing, thought it was only his imagination and left.

Inside, whoever was looking outside the window had withdrawn from the dark to stare back at the boy until he was out of sight. That time, that person braced a small, almost unnoticeable smile, though its face stayed emotionless.

Autumn had left place to winter with its freezing cold weather and blanket of snow. Still, even if it was cold, winter was Odd's favourite season. Without winter he couldn't have snowball fights with his friend, go down slopes on a sled, ice skate, snowboard or ski. The best part of winter for him was the hot chocolate after a fun day of playing, when you're wet from the snow and cold to the bones; nothing better than hot chocolate to feel all warm and revigored again!

Happily humming, Odd walked along the streets back from the comic shop, with a bag full of comics under his arms. The cold winter air was stinging against his face and he could see his breath.

Passing once again in front of the old house, this time he knew he definitely saw something move from the corner of his eye. Stopping his tracks, he stared at the window where he saw movement and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a pale looking girl make him sign to come. Turning around to see if she wasn't making sign to anyone else, he hesitantly approached the gate and pushed it open.

The old wooden stairs creaked at each of his steps and he stood under the porch, waiting for the girl to open up. He looked around, admiring the property for the first time; they were many huge trees and bushes everywhere; not very surprising, since this place was probably left down for long.

He looked back at the door to find the girl he saw in the window right in front of him. He gave a start, a hand on his heart; he never even heard her!

-"You coming in?"

Without waiting for his answer, she walked back inside where an apparent darkness was reigning, leaving me no other choice than to follow her; it would be rude not to.

As soon as I stepped in, the door closed behind me. It was so dark I couldn't see the tip of my fingers. The only light was the one emanating from the windows, in the other room. Moreover, it was freezing in here, just as if I was still outside.

Following the girl -who was somehow clearly visible through the darkness- to the lounge where light was coming from the window I felt a bit more secure. There wasn't much to look at in this house (it was strangely dark), so my gaze fell on my host. She wore a light blue dress with a sky blue ribbon around her waist, and black varnished shoe just like the one you see on little kids. Her hair were held back in pigtails; and what hair! They were most amazing; fiery red, with strange motif that made it look like an actual burning fire. Her cerulean blue eyes lacked of emotion, just like her face. No expression at all. She had a very pale white complexion.

-"So...You live here?"

-"Yes."

Not much of a talker either.

-"...And I will always do."

Why would someone want to live in a place like this?

Brushing that thought away, the one of wearing a warmer coat next time came almost immediately after when my teeth started chattering. Looking back at the girl, she didn't seem to be cold at all and she was wearing a summer dress! A summer dress in this cooler-like home.

-"A-Aren't you cold?"

-"No."

-"But you're just wearing a summer dress..."

It took her some time to answer, like she was thinking about what she'd say. "I always feel the warmth... Always..."

She seemed sad when she said that and I didn't really understand why, nor what she meant by that.

Feeling it was time for me to go or else I'd freeze to death, I blindly made my way back to the door. She followed me silently and asked if I'd come back. Quickly promising I would, I got outside and as soon as I was out of the property I began running. This place gave me the chills.

For a reason I didn't know, I came back. The next time I passed in front of the house, I looked at it, bit my lip and pushed the gate. The inside was still as cold as ever and the girl was still wearing the same clothes she had on last time. Though this time, for a split second, I swore I saw a smile on her face when I passed the front door.

-"Come to think of it, I don't know your name. Mine's Odd."

I gave my hand for her to shake, but she just looked at it with the same blank expression she had when we first met so I let it fall back to my sides.

-"Eliza."

There was a long silence in which I tried countless of time to start a conversation, but she wouldn't say anything.

-"So... How old are you?"

-"Twelve. Just like every other year..."

She muttered that last part, which were very strange words. "Huh... I'm 13. We're close in age!"

-"For now," she replied, sadness in her voice.

-"Err... right."

My phone rang; it was Jeremy. X.A.N.A had activated a tower. I got up and was about to leave when she called back at me. "Promise you'll come back."

I merely nodded and left.

The next time I found a chance to come was in spring. It was less cold in the house, to my delight, but still pretty chilly nonetheless. We chatted a bit more than usual and Eliza formuled the wish to be able to get out. That it had been a long time since she had done so. "Well then go out," I said; to which she replied that she couldn't, with definite sadness and even nostalgia in her voice.

Trying to make her feel better, I told her a joke and even if she didn't laugh, I saw the corner of her mouth twitch upward. It made me smile, knowing that she found it funny.

I began to come there more often as the warmer season came, because the house wasn't as cold anymore.

At school, my friends had noticed my disappearance before, but now that it was getting more frequent they were starting to wonder where I was going. The only thing I'd say was that I was going to talk with Eliza and left, not giving them answers when they asked who was Eliza.

One day when we were sitting on the porch, enjoying the sunlight, she closed her eyes and laid beside me. No one said a thing for a while before she made a remark.

-"When there's some strange stuff happening you always leave and when you come back, everything's normal. Why is that?"

That caught me off guard and wondering how could she possibly remember the strange stuff happening. No one could except for us Lyoko warriors.

-"H-How do you remember?"

She smiled lightly, a definite smile this time. Thought it was a very sad smile.

Before I even opened my mouth to answer, she got up and walked back in the house, leaving me with a thousand questions.

-"Are you going to see Eliza again?"

Ulrich looked at me reprimandly, a hand on his hip. "Yes. Is that a problem?" I replied coldly. He seemed taken aback and I seized that moment to sneak beside him out of the room and ran outside.

I watched in disbelief as Odd left the room. This was getting serious. He was totally obsessed; he sneaked out almost every day to go see this Eliza no one had ever heard of.

When I told Jeremy what happened, we agreed that this was getting out of hand. He was like obsessed. About someone no one knew; was it the fruit of his imagination? We decided to follow him next time he'd sneak out.

An occasion which presented itself the next day...

It was such a beautiful day, the blue sky was so vibrant and the sun's rays were warm. Spring had left and it was the beginning of summer, to a warmer weather. It was really a perfect day, not too hot; just hot enough.

Humming, I made my way over to Eliza's. As usual, I got in without announcing myself and found her waiting for me in the living room at her usual spot: beside the window. A small smile appeared on her face when I came in and she greeted me with a "Welcome back".

We got outside and sat on the porch, looking over by the street and talking. Though all the time, I couldn't help but think that something was strangely odd about her today. She looked strangely paler. And sometimes, it was as if the contour of her form was disappearing. One second it was there, the next a bit was missing. Thinking the light was playing me tricks, I ignored it.

Before I left Eliza said that it was "almost time". Whatever she meant by that.

We stared between bushes as Odd was visibly talking to... no one! Yet he sat there for about an hour, speaking to the air, sometimes laughing. Both looking at each other, we didn't know what to think of that...

It was now mid-May. The sun was blazing hot outside. But inside Eliza's house, it was strangely fresh.

In the middle of my story, she interrupted me with a serious look on her face. "Odd. It's time."

-"Time for what?"

-"For me to go."

I didn't understand. "But you said you can't go anywhere but here...?"

She smiled and shook her head. "It's okay if you don't understand. Maybe it's preferable if you don't..."

The end of the school year was approaching. Soon, I'd be leaving for Italy.

I went to see Eliza.

But when I arrived in the house, she wasn't looking good at all. She was paler than ever, but not only her face this time. Her entire body... Like a shirt you'd wash too often and the colors would become worn out.

...As if she was fading out...

I didn't stay long. I walked to where she was, right beside the window in the living room. She said nothing and she continued looking outside, as if she didn't notice my presence. I posted myself beside her and looked outside too. After a while, I felt something touch my hand and when I looked at it, her hand was in mine. For the first time since I met her, she made a physical contact. Her hand was extremely cold. She didn't alter her gaze from the window and said in an voice lacking of emotions; "Odd. Don't come here again."

-"Why?"

She didn't want me here again or what? Do I annoy her?

-"A-am I annoying? If I am, I can stop talking whenever I come here...!"

She chuckled, put one of her cold finger on my lip to silence me and smiled. It was a soft smile, and she looked very pretty at that moment. What made the smile prettier than when she usually smiled is because that one wasn't filled with sadness. It was a joyful smile, and one could feel the happiness emanating from it.

-"It's not you; it's me."

-"I don't understand."

-"Don't come here tomorrow. Well, I won't stop you to do so, but... It's maybe better if you never come here again and just forget about me."

I clenched my fist. "Why? Why would I forget about you? You're my friend! Why do you look so happy, telling me to forget about you with such a happy smile?"

She chuckled again and her smile got brighter. "Because tomorrow, I will go away to a better place... And it's all because of you. You helped me achieve internal peace... I am at peace now, and it is time for me to go like I should've done long ago."

-"I don't understand Eliza..."

She sighed and pulled me by my collar; her lips met mine. There were warm, unlike the rest of her body. Maybe because it was bearing such a joyful, warm smile...

-"I thank you, Odd. For it wasn't for you this would've never happen. Though I am not sure if I won't feel extremely sad about knowing that we will never speak again."

She dragged me to the door, turned me so I was facing toward the street, whispered in my ear "Now go. May my feeling of love and gratitude always reach you, wherever you are and wherever I'll be..." and pushed me out of the door.

Ignoring her request, I came back to her house but there was no one waiting me. I searched the whole house and went up to the only room I didn't look in; a room with an old nameplate all covered in sooth that read "Eliza". Opening the door, I peaked and was impressed to see that there was actually a lot of light in this room. On the floor, right beneath the window there was a paper. As I got closer, it became clear that it was a newspaper print. It looked old.

I sat on the ground and started reading. The date said it was from 1983, about 20 years ago. The article was about a house that caught on fire and the only person in the house at that time couldn't get out in time and died, engulfed by the flames; burned alive. Under the article, there was a black and white picture of a young girl with an emotionless face. My lip startled to tremble.

A tear fell on my hand and a chocked sob shook me.

Even if the picture was in black and white, I knew that the girl in the picture had flaming red hair...


End file.
